Shloka 36

युधिष्ठिरकृष्णसंवादः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Appeal and Kṛṣṇa’s Assurance

Droṇa-parva, Adhyāya 59

Devanagari script

तपस्विनां रक्षणार्थ सहस््राणि चतुर्दश । नरश्रेष्ठ श्रीरामचन्द्रजीने जनस्थानमें तपस्वी मुनियोंकी रक्षाके लिये चौदह हजार राक्षसोंका वध किया था

Transliteration

tapasvināṃ rakṣaṇārthaṃ sahasrāṇi caturdaśa | naraśreṣṭhaḥ śrīrāmacandrajīna janasthāne tapasvī munīnāṃ rakṣāyai caturdaśa-sahasra-rākṣasānāṃ vadhaṃ cakāra |

Translation

Nārada dit : Pour la protection des ascètes, le meilleur des hommes, Śrī Rāmacandra, à Janasthāna, abattit quatorze mille rākṣasas afin de sauvegarder les sages voués à l’austérité. Cette parole affirme l’idéal éthique selon lequel puissance et vaillance doivent être employées pour défendre les innocents et soutenir la vie spirituelle conforme au dharma.

Word by Word

• तपस्विनाम्: of the ascetics
• तपस्विनाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• रक्षणार्थम्: for the purpose of protection
• रक्षणार्थम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षणार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• चतुर्दश: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्दश

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sri Ramachandra (Rama)
• Janasthana
• Munis (ascetic sages)
• Rakshasas (fourteen thousand)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Strength and authority are ethically justified when used to protect the vulnerable and uphold dharma—here, safeguarding ascetics and their spiritual practice from violent disruption.

What is happening in the narrative?

Narada cites Rama’s deed at Janasthana—killing fourteen thousand rakshasas—to illustrate a precedent of righteous protection: a heroic figure intervenes decisively to defend sages engaged in austerities.